Contemplating Cherry Blossoms
by TayMor
Summary: He saw her. And it wasn't a problem for Itachi until he realized that he couldn't get her out of his mind. AU Oneshot


**Contemplating Cherry Blossoms **

_Noticing Her_

Uchiha Itachi smiled inwardly as he watched his younger brother scoff at something his blonde haired friend was saying. He had to drop off Sasuke at the Uzumaki's house for some party or another and hadn't intended to stay at all, but Minato and Kushina had asked him to stay for a drink because he looked tired.

It had been awkward for him.

He wasn't used to such...warmth from other people.

Itachi ran his hand through his long hair, an almost nonexistent sigh escaping his slightly parted lips. Kushina and Minato were right. He was tired. Not that he would admit it to anyone though. Pushing himself off of the column on which he had been leaning, Itachi turned to leave the premises and head to his car when a flash of pink caught his eye.

The particular hue of the colour was highly unusual to him. It wasn't something that he looked at or even noticed often. Most colours in his world were solemn, practical and droll. They definitely were not pink. He knew he should probably hate the colour but for some reason he didn't, maybe it was because of his...curiosity.

Itachi's eyes trailed the place where he'd seen the flash of pink, stopping when he traced the colour back to one of Sasuke's friends. She had pink hair. He couldn't bring himself to hate it however and found himself leaning back against the column to watch her. Her tinkling laughter filled the night air, green eyes flashing as she threw her head back with mirth. Before he even knew what was happening Itachi found himself unable to look away.

'_This is ridiculous. What am I doing?'_ Itachi thought, his brow creasing in a slight frown. He had no time to be standing there, watching some random pink-haired friend of his little brother's. He had no time. He should go and finish those reports he had to do.

He really should go.

Despite saying this as a mantra over and over in his head, Itachi couldn't actually bring himself to move from where he stood. He couldn't stop watching her as she laughed and teased his younger brother playfully, or hit Naruto over the head after he had said something that had most likely been perverted. He didn't even know her name and had no intention of finding out, even though something at the back of his mind demanded that he know.

He wouldn't ask.

She was nothing but a distraction to past time.

"What are still doing here aniki?" Sasuke asked, effectively jolting Itachi from his thoughts and back to the present. The older Uchiha kept his face stoic however; no one needed to know why he was still there. Especially not Sasuke.

"Hn. I lost track of time," Itachi answered, his voice tight, leaving no room for Sasuke to ask much more questions. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Well since you're still here you might as well drop me back home already. I was gonna go with Sakura but apparently she didn't drive either."

"Sakura?" Itachi asked, not entirely sure why his brother was referring to cherry blossoms but... unless it was a person...

He must be more exhausted than he'd realized. Obviously it was a person. And had a feeling that it was the laughing girl with ridiculous _pink _hair. Somehow, it would just _fit. _

"Yeah, Sakura... y'know my class mate...the one with the pink hair." Sasuke frowned; it was highly unusual for Itachi to ask him about anyone.

So her name was Sakura...it was _definitely_ fitting.

'_Sakura...'_ Itachi mentally mulled over the name in his head.

He didn't hate it.

* * *

Itachi glanced at the rear view mirror of the car, his dark eyes falling on Sasuke's pink haired friend. She was just as vivacious as she had seemed from a distance but hadn't said much to him apart from thanking him for driving her home.

'_Of course she would not say anything as she does not know me. I do not know her, and I have no reason to say anything to her or want her to say anything to me,'_ Itachi sternly told himself inwardly, hating that this pink haired waif was invading his mind. He didn't _want_ her presence there. Itachi clenched his jaw and it was the only sign of his discomfort as he drove down the highway and turned into a nearby residential area. Remembering Sakura's directions from earlier he made another turn and before long, stopped in front of her house. She hopped out of the car and waved goodbye to Sasuke and quickly thanked him for the drive.

He noticed that she didn't look at him.

The Uchiha frowned as he watched Sakura's back retreat into her house. _Why_ didn't she look at him? Did she feel herself above him? Did she think he was...inadequate in appearance?

Why did he even care?

Snapping his gaze away from the pink haired young woman, Itachi pressed his foot down on the gas pedal. She had just been a distraction while he waited for Sasuke. It wasn't like she actually caught his eye...maybe just his curiosity but he was sure that he would never see her again or ever think about her.

He was absolutely wrong.

* * *

_Thinking About Her_

This was ridiculous.

Absolutely and utterly ridiculous.

Uchiha Itachi could not get thoughts of Haruno Sakura out of his mind. A few weeks ago he had thought that he would never see her again and he had been extremely wrong. He'd seen her many times since then, at his parents' house, at work when she stopped by to talk to Sasuke, at his favourite cafe...and the list continued. He'd found out that she smelled like her namesake, and her skin was a smooth and soft as it looked.

Itachi let out a soft groan, allowing his head to fall onto his desk. Everyone else had already packed up and left for the evening, he would have never allowed himself to indulge in such...inefficient behaviour if business hours were still in progress.

'_Cease this childish behaviour,'_ Itachi told himself, he had things to do, which did not include thinking about Sakura. Picking up the letter resting on his desk, Itachi skimmed over its contents, but found himself unable to focus on the words.

He could only see pink.

The colour was everywhere. Itachi closed his eyes, giving into the need to lose himself in his thoughts.

It hadn't taken him long to notice all the little things about her. The way she walked, slim hips swaying slightly from side to side... unpronounced, like she wasn't even giving it thought...

The way her hair moved, sliding against her face whenever she tilted her head downwards to check her phone, or backwards while she laughed. The way she smiled, like she had no burdens, like she cared...

She was utterly mesmerizing. He found himself biting back a smile when he remembered the way her nose wrinkled when she laughed and her eyes were the same colour as emeralds. At first he had thought that her hair colour was fake but then he'd seen her lashes and the fine hairs on her arm, which were of the same rosy hue.

He wanted to touch them.

He wanted to slide his fingers through her hair, down her neck, shoulders and back. But he knew he couldn't. It wouldn't be appropriate...besides she wouldn't want him to.

Itachi tugged his hair out of its tie, which had suddenly begun to feel restricting. Following upon the notion that no one else was around he shrugged off his suit jacket and unbuttoned the first three buttons on his shirt. He rolled up his sleeves and stretched, his back and neck snapping into place. Instinct caused him to turn his head, and he saw her.

She was standing in the doorway of his office, her hair was just as pink as he's remembered it to be. Why was she here? He wasn't...he wasn't suitably attired.

Itachi arched an eyebrow at Sakura, not able to actually find words to speak. A sheepish smile quirked her lips upwards.

"Ah sorry to intrude, I was just wondering if Sasuke-kun was still here..." she trailed, raising her hand to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. Itachi forced his mask to stay in place, not wanting anything of his thoughts or feelings to show.

"He is not, he left some time ago." The Uchiha watched, slightly in a daze, as Sakura nodded and slipped out of the room as quietly as she had come in.

He noticed it again.

She hadn't looked at him.

* * *

_Needing Her_

He needed her.

He had come to that conclusion quite a long time ago. It had been months now since he'd first seen her and ever since then he'd become...desperate in his thoughts. She seemed to be on his mind at every turn, and for some strange reason he didn't find himself minding as much as he thought he would.

Itachi leaned against the wall in the entertainment room of the Uchiha mansion. It was Sasuke's 20th birthday and the family along with Naruto, Sakura and some of his younger brother's friends had gotten together for a party. He generally hated birthday parties but this was Sasuke's and he wouldn't miss it for the anything. That didn't mean he had to interact with anyone though.

The Uchiha watched as the other occupants in the room conversed happily. His eyes skimmed over most of the group, immediately stopping when they fell upon a familiar green eyed, pink haired female. She was leaning close to Sasuke as she said something to him, and in that moment Itachi had never envied his brother more. Itachi's gaze hardened as he continued to watch Sakura interact with Sasuke. Why wouldn't she approach him? He even managed to admit that he wanted her to...

Itachi squelched the urge to march over to where Sakura stood, grab her from Sasuke's side and press his lips to hers. Shaking his head ever so slightly in an attempt to clear it of such ridiculous notions, Itachi moved to head outside to gather his thoughts when she looked at him. Not just a glance but a long proper look. Green eyes met his dark ones and suddenly he no longer needed to go outside.

She had looked at him.

Finally.

**AN: Just an ita/saku oneshot that came to mind. Read and review please c: I don't plan on continuing but if you would like me to please let me know. (Tornbutterflywings)**


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